Residents of several homes on Eerste Jan van der Heijdenstraat in De Pijp were forced to evacuate overnight after an e-bike caught fire inside a storage room.
Emergency services received the first call around 1:00 AM, and firefighters quickly arrived at the scene. About 20 minutes later, officials upgraded the incident to a medium-sized fire, allowing extra units to respond before bringing the flames under control.
Paramedics inspect residents
Two people were examined by paramedics at the location for smoke inhalation. Neither required further treatment in the hospital, and no major structural injuries were reported.
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery fires have become an increasingly frequent issue for the local fire service. The regional emergency services have raised concerns in recent years over the safety risks associated with charging electrical bike batteries in enclosed areas.
Rising safety concerns
In response to similar incidents across the city, emergency responders routinely urge residents to avoid charging e-bike batteries overnight or unattended in hallways and storage units, where a thermal runaway fire can rapidly block exit routes.
